Question

Conceptual physics

Suppose you are traveling in a bus at highway speed on a nice summer day and the momentum of an unlucky bug is suddenly changed as it splatter onto the front window.

1.compared to the force that acts on the bug,how much force acts on the bus?
a. more b.the same c.less
2.The time of of impact is the same for both the bug and the bus.compared to the impulse on the bug,this means the impulse on the bus is
a.more b.the same c.less

Answer 1

3.although the momentum of the bus is very large compared to the momentum of the bug,the change of momentum of the bus,compared ti the change of momentum of the bug is
a.more b.the same c.less

Answer 2

4.which undergoes the greater acceleration?
a.bus b.both the same c.bug

Answer 3

5.which therefore,suffers the greater damage?
a.bus b.both the same c.the bug of course!

Answer 4

Momentum is conserved:
Before: M(bus).V1(bus) + M(bug).V1(bug) equals
After: [M(bus)+M(bug)].V2(bus and bug combined)
So the bug and bus combined continue on just a little more slowly than the bus was going before.

The bug obviously accelerates a great deal faster - from bug-speed in one directioin ( a few miles per hour) to bus-speed in the other - many tens of miles per hour in the opposite direction.